Introducing Linda Bedell

Wood Stone Home is thrilled to welcome our newest team member, Linda Bedell who is based in New Jersey.  She needs a really long title as she has such a wealth of experience and can wear so many hats for us!

Linda Bedell

Regional Residential Sales Manager – Corporate Residential Chef

Linda’s culinary background includes education at NYU with a degree in hotel and restaurant management, and the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan.  She is a more than versatile chef, having worked every station at myriad NYC restaurants including Jean George’s Jojo as well a stint at the executive dining room at SONY.

On the sales side, Linda’s background is equally varied and impressive.  She has been Executive Chef/Regional Sales Manager for Rational Cooking Systems, National Director of Sales for Molteni, both in commercial and residential sectors, National Director of Sales for a design and build firm, Sales Executive for a food service dealer and a manufacturer’s representative for several lines of restaurant equipment.

This is not Linda’s first walk in the park with Wood Stone.  She worked as one of our manufacturer’s reps in the field and was already familiar with our company, even having attended one of our Rep Gigs in Bellingham, where rumor has it she became famous for her Tandoor Dance!  (We are searching for video).

To quote Linda: “I fell in love with Wood Stone during the time that I represented the company.  Not only was the equipment sublime and so simple to use, but the company and staff are second to none!  I have always admired how Wood Stone has treated its customers AND its staff.  It is truly a company of people.  When I was given the opportunity to join this team, I jumped at the chance.  I am so proud to spread the word of Wood Stone Home!”

Welcome Linda!

BBQ Chicken Pizza à la California Pizza Kitchen on the Road

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It’s BBQ season at kitchen showrooms and Wood Stone Home makes the rounds to many Cook-Off events with our mobile oven to do battle with many other manufacturers of fine outdoor kitchen equipment.

This year I decided to serve up BBQ Chicken Pizza as a nod to our largest commercial customer, California Pizza Kitchen. With over 200 oven installations world-wide, Wood Stone’s relationship with CPK goes back 20 years and interestingly, was the impetus for our first gas-fired oven. Wood Stone Home oven owners reap the benefits of this innovation today, with gas-fired ovens providing convenience, as well as serving areas where wood-only ovens are not allowed due to local regulations for air quality. For more of the story of the relationship of Wood Stone and CPK…

 

 

Pizza Expo 2013

Pizza Expo 2013

We just returned from Vegas and the wild and wacky event that is Pizza Expo! Wood Stone’s booth was action packed with all manner of aspiring pizzaiolos running in to bake pizzas in our ovens to be entered in the World Pizza Games. It’s no surprise to us that many of the winning pies over the years have been baked in a Wood Stone Oven…the world’s best bake must come from the world’s best stone hearth oven! During calmer moments, Chef Tim, Chef Mike and I turned out some pretty nice pies as well. I shared a couple of favorites from the Wood Stone Home recipe collection.

 – Chef Ann

Wood Stone Home Cooking Class!

It’s been awhile since we have been able to connect with oven owners in our neighborhood so we thought, “What better way to connect with old friends than in front of the oven?”   The complimentary class was a great way to share, engage and reconnect around stone hearth cooking.  Chef Frank Milward hosted the class and showcased some tasty Tapas and Hors d’oeuvres, including: Oysters RockefellerClassic Stuffed MushroomsBBQ Spiced Salmon BitesClams CataplanaSpanish Potato Tortilla with Chive AioliPimentón Garlic Shrimp with Orange OilFlatbread with Romesco Sauce, Bananas Foster Flambé and Pizza with Mahón Cheese and Tarragon, giving our guests some fun and new ideas on how they could expand their entertaining repertoire for the upcoming holiday season.  We truly enjoy spending time with our customers (who we consider part of the Wood Stone family) and hope to host more events like this in the future at the factory and at showrooms across the U.S.[nggallery id=25]

A Wood Stone Home Oven for Bobby Flay

Bobby Flay with his Wood Stone Home Oven 

When we got the call that Bobby Flay wanted a Wood Stone for his home – we obviously couldn’t say yes fast enough!  Bobby installed a Mt. Adams Home Oven outdoors that is configured to burn gas and wood.  This gorgeous flat-wall facade was achieved with brick and both our doorway facade extension flat and our storage box extension flat. To learn more about the various ways you can facade a Wood Stone Home Oven, click here.

We are, without a doubt, very excited to see the backyard culinary magic Chef Flay can create with his new Wood Stone Home oven!

Wood Stone Home Cooking Class!

 
 

You are cordially invited to enjoy a complimentary day in the Wood Stone Test Kitchen with Chef Ann and the rest of the Wood Stone Home team.  Chef Ann will be showcasing some tasty Tapas and Hors d’oeuvres that will expand your entertaining repertoire. Wow your guests with Oysters Rockefeller, BBQ Salmon Bites with Chipotle Rèmoulade, Classic Stuffed Mushrooms and much more… all perfect for holiday entertaining!

Wood Stone Factory, Bellingham, WA • Thursday, October 18th • 11 am – 2 pm

Space is limited (but friends are welcome), RSVP to Jeff Dunkin at (800) 578-6836 or at jeffd@woodstone.net. Coming in from out of town?  Ask us for recommendations.

 

 
enhance your food, home & lifestyle

New Recipe Booklet!

Wood Stone Home has a new recipe booklet which is hot off the presses!  In keeping with our mantra “It’s not just a pizza oven…”, this booklet highlights 12  different cooking methods easily achieved in the Wood Stone Home oven. Oven-frying, steaming and poaching are just 3 of the techniques covered in addition to the more obvious roasting and pizza baking basics. We will begin sending this out to all new oven owners, but if you’d like one sent your way, please call (360.578.6836) or email and we’ll be happy to get one in your hands.

 

Introducing Jeff Dunkin

It’s been a busy year at Wood Stone and we would like to take this opportunity to introduce a new member of the Wood Stone Home team!

Jeff Dunkin joined us at the start of the year to lead our Wood Stone Home division in Sales and Customer Support. Jeff comes to Wood Stone with years of experience in residential appliance sales and we are excited to have him on board. He’s excited too…In his words, “I’ve never seen a company that aligned so well with my values of excellence, respect, humility, honesty, generosity, and kindness. Wood Stone not only makes the best stone hearth ovens in the world, they take care of their people, the community, the environment and their clients. I’m blessed to be a part of this unique and wonderful family!”  

Jeff can be reached via email or at 800.578.6836.

Wood Stone at Fixtures Living’s lastest venture…

Chef Ann was thrilled to attend an opening reception for Fixtures Living‘s latest venture in Southern California: a new, groundbreaking showroom prototype in Costa Mesa located within the South Coast Collection. This 20,000 square-foot kitchen, bath and outdoor living store encourages customers to focus on lifestyle and to “find their joy”. It was certainly a joy to see two Wood Stone ovens so beautifully showcased in both indoor and outdoor vignettes!